Resurrection Debate At Washburn
By Eva Wilson
April 2010
“Authentic evangelism is telling the stories of Jesus to everyone who will listen. And others willingness to listen to us depends on our willingness to listen to them.”—Leonard Sweet in “Aquachurch 2.0”
A debate on the resurrection of Jesus gave Christians in Topeka, Kan., the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and listen to the views of a renowned atheist.
Christian Challenge, the Southern Baptist ministry at Washburn University, Bott Radio Network, and The Atheist Community of Topeka teamed to sponsor the recent debate. It featured Christian apologist Michael Licona and Richard Carrier, a professional historian and prominent defender of the American free-thought movement.
Licona is apologetics coordinator at the North American Mission Board.
He is author of the book “The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.” Lee Strobel interviewed Licona in his book “The Case for the Real Jesus.” Licona also appeared in Strobel’s video “The Case for Christ.”
Carrier’s books include “Sense and Goodness Without God” and “Not the Impossible Faith.”
As the debate proceeded, it became obvious that Licona and Carrier are extremely intelligent young men. Although their views on Jesus’ resurrection were totally opposite, they respected each other’s opinions. They had a rapport and called each other by their first names. In fact, the two had debated each other at UCLA in 2004.
Licona based his belief in and argument for the resurrection on the Bible.
However, Carrier said, “The claim that Jesus rose from the dead is an implausible claim.” He took the stance that the people whom Jesus appeared to were hallucinating.
“The existence of God is not a widely accepted fact,” he continued.
Licona countered, “I think there’s rather extraordinary evidence for God’s existence.”
Read article from The Washburn Review at http://www.washburnreview.org/news/resurrection-debate-attracts-large-crowd-1.1170196
See photos of the event at
http://www.bottradionetwork.com/network-events/photo-gallery/album/72157623422392082/february-2010-bott-radio-network-co-sponsors-resurrection-debate-at-washburn-university-in-topeka-thursday-february-11th.html
Licona’s Web site is http://www.4truth.net/
Visit Carrier’s Web site at http://richardcarrier.info/
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